ASSISTANCE MOVES

Add these exercises to your workouts to target the key muscle groups involved in a deadlift so you can lift more weight

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

WHY This deadlift variation shifts the emphasis to your hamstrings, making it an ideal accessory exercise to the normal deadlift.

HOW Keeping a slight bend in your knees, bend forwards from the hips – not the waist – and lower the bar down the front of your shins until you feel a good stretch in your hamstrings. Reverse the move back to the start by pushing your hips forwards.

KETTLEBELL SWING

WHY This full-body move engages all the muscles of your posterior chain, but also teaches the explosiveness you need to do everything from throwing a punch to jumping onto a box.

HOW Swing the kettlebell between your legs with both hands, then pop your hips forwards to drive it up to head height, keeping your arms relaxed. Let the kettlebell swing back into the next rep – you don’t need to bend your knees much.

DEFICIT DEADLIFT

WHY Lifting from a “deficit” - an artificially lower start position will fix any weakness in your normal deadlift, forcing you to keep a flat back and engage your shoulders to get the bar off the ground.

HOW Stand on a weight plate or low box and grasp the bar. Engage your shoulders and take the strain, then lift the bar by driving your hips forwards, keeping a flat back.